After the introductions, Dikaipolis was against a knight from the KGCC. The competitor that they sponsored was armored from head to toe with their most advanced tech.
He has reactive armor that would use arts for a certain amount of time. And the wearer will be pretty much invulnerable due to the armor's hardness and barrier.
Though there was quite the problem. He was told that his opponent would be a free win due to match fixing.
It was a KGCC tactic that would net them a lot of money and commissions from sponsors and the like. Making it much easier for their knight to go into be an MVP.
"Let us start." The knight was confident that Dikaipolis would throw the match due to his dealings with Czarny.
Dikaipolis was quiet and he looked around the stand. And he quickly saw Ash in the very front seats. You can't miss him, he was a gigantic man.
"The first match of the main tourney! Start!" The announcer yelled and cheers were heard as lights got brighter. The tournament would be at its peak.
Dikaipolis gripped his axe tighter. He stepped into the hardened ground of the stadium and it cracked due to his strength.
"For my people." He lunged and the enemy reacted in a split second to his overhead swing of his axe.
And it was a poor move. The knight of the KGCC was using a sword. Blocking with it against a heavy weapon like an axe immediately broke it in two.
The reactive armor protected the man, but like bullet proof. Kinetic energy and physics don't spare kindness to anyone.
With a groan, the knight flew backwards and rolled on the ground.
The peanut gallery surrounding the arena roared at the sight. The Nearls were surprised at the amazing speed and strength of the Forte knight.
"Impressive speed and strength. Even if he's using a heavy weapon like an axe. He isn't even making use of his arts." Mlynar nodded at him.
"Do you think I can get that strong big sister Zofia?" Maria looked at her aunt because in the absence of Margaret, Zofia was the one who trained her.
"Yes, you can. But that's for another time Maria." Zofia could see the Knight's practiced movements. It was something that takes hard work and sufficient talent.
And Maria isn't exactly the instinctive fighter like Margaret and Mlynar. She was softer, suited to another role instead of being in the front line.
"Stand up." Dikaipolis' baritone voice was heard and the enemy competitor coughed, frowning heavily behind his helmet.
"What do you think you're doing? The KGCC will hear of this." The man shouted to him in a softer voice. So it would not be heard by the audience.
"That's for later. Right now, you stand in front of me and my axe." Dikaipolis controlled his blood as he felt the other Knight's armor start to whir.
"Insolent!" With a spare weapon, he relied on his reactive armor and charged at Dikaipolis.
"A knight that relies solely on armor, pathetic." Dikaipolis created blades of blood with much more practiced ease.
Ash nodded in satisfaction at his control, thinking that all his training didn't go to waste.
With a flick of his hand, the sanguine blades floated by his will and began to fly beside him like orbiting weapons.
"My armor is much stronger than that fool!" The enemy left it to his gimmick and Dikaipolis outmaneuvered the heavier knight.
His arts stabbed on the joints and key places of the enemy one by one. With the heavily armored knight ignoring it.
And he slowly realized that it was a mistake. After a few more attacks and Dikaipolis dodging. The blood arts struck all of his joints and made movement extremely stiff.
Dikaipolis' axe then glowed red. He struck the enemy right on the chest and made him flew against the wall of the arena from the force.
The whole arena then went quiet. "Competitor Dikaipolis has won the first round!" The announcer reported and the roars of the stadium was defeaning.
"See? He's gonna be fine." Ash pointed at his ringer and the Nearls nodded.
"That guy might have given me trouble a couple of years ago when I was still competing." Degenbrecher nodded at his strength.
"As do I, where did you even find him Ash?" Margaret asked and he smiled.
"Wouldn't you like to know? He was at the Ghettoes of Kazimierz." His smile disappeared and he saw the conditions there.
"He gave food and limited medical supplies to the infected there. Did you know that they were waiting for the waste disposal hatches to dump trash onto their district so they could scavenge food?" Ash furrowed his brows.
Margaret and Degenbrecher sighed. Mlynar scowled at that. Maria and Zofia gasped at the terrible conditions below.
"That's why I approved of his entrance in the tournament. He has a job, a goal to achieve. And men of character will do it with everything they've got." He gave a nod at Dikaipolis.
"Well said." Mlynar was satisfied that they'll be doing something against that.
The capital looked good and clean at the main city. But down below, it hid immense poverty. Where the infected are forced down there to live like trash.
"Hah, Ash. Thank you very much for this." Margaret kissed him and was grateful for his actions.
"Do not mention it, Kazimierz will be our second state. It was also the next best decision." He smiled and rubbed her ears as Margaret almost neighed.
Kazimierz entering an alliance with Leithanien would be devastating.
Leithanien was a country that could match Kazdel's Sarkaz in their mastery of arts.
His and Adele's home country is an empire that even the strongest countries on land would think twice before trying a war.
And Kazimierz has overwhelming ground warfare. With the silverlance pegasi unmatched at close quarters combat without arts.
Combined with the military might of Leithanien, a true alliance between the two countries would shake entire Terra. Ursus won't be able to push against Kazimierz like before as they shared borders.
"Wow... You thought this through. Leithanien's casters from its spires with unmatched arts. And Kazimierz as the front line." Mlynar shivered at the thought of that.
"Umu, I already told you uncle. I'm a man of action, we would be a deterrent for war. Victoria is fractured, without anyone sitting on the throne. They will be just fence sitters in their country." Ash smirked.
Stationed in the center, Victoria is the one that can flank Kazimierz and Leithanien while they protect the borders from Ursus. But with the last king hanged 20 plus years ago, they are most likely infighting till now.
"Hahaha! See Mlynar, you can't deny the genius of our lover!" Degenbrecher laughed boisterously.
"Soleil and Luna will also be quite happy about this turn of events." Ash smirked and the twin empresses would surely welcome this alliance.
And it has no drawbacks as well. With Dikaipolis forming the biggest knight club due to the number of infected, they will continue to be popular to the masses.
While Margaret and Mlynar would be taking charge of the silverlance pegasi. And them being highly respected Nearls. It was a piece of cake to earn their trust.
"So that's why you want me to be the grand knight of the Adeptus. When I marry you, campaigning knights like the silverlances would see it as rock solid." Margaret nodded at him.
"I see, and you will give the work to me huh?" Mlynar gave them a dirty look and Margaret felt kind of bad for him.
"It will also give you a lot more manpower to look for your brother and sister uncle. It's not that bad right?" Ash shrugged and Mlynar forgot about that.
"Ash..." Margaret and Maria looked at him dreamily as he would help them find their missing parents that disappeared after their campaign to the north.
"I'm a family man as you can see. Didn't have one after all." He smiled at them and patted their heads.
'This guy might not be such a villain after all.' Zofia smiled at Maria and Margaret's reaction to his help and words.
"Anyways, let us continue in watching the matches shall we?" Ash looked forwards and they watched everything with continued vigor.
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Meanwhile at the Adeptus HQ, Ioleta received a report from Ash's ghosts that Dikaipolis will win the major this time around.
"Hah, this isn't really match fixing. But this competitor receiving his support would be a win already no?" Ioleta sighed and thought about her own competitor that would be entering the matches.
"But I need to do something, anything to get back at him." She squinted her eyes and she was being petty.
"Margaret and the Nearls would surely cater to his interests only. I have to make sure he won't destroy Kazimierz..." Ioleta groaned and was almost going to pull her hair out.
She then received news from the empire of Leithanien.
Ioleta read it for a couple of times and her eyes widened.
The gears in her head spun and it was like a light bulb that turned on suddenly.
"I see, I see... Child, forgive me for this. But I am sure that Margaret and maybe Degenbrecher would protect you." Ioleta sighed and sacrifices has to be made.
"Get me some papers, I will need it. And send this to the Empresses of Leithanien as soon as possible." Ioleta leaned into her chair.
"I can't give you the satisfaction of victory just yet Asmodeus Naumann." Ioleta laughed and she was sure it would give him tons of headaches.
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Back at the stadium everyone was waiting for the final matches. Dikaipolis is already standing on his side and the announcer welcomed the last opponent.
"Everyone! Please give a round of applause to our finalist! The MVP of the Nova knight club! Viviana Droste, the candle knight!" The announcer welcomed the other finalist. (pic)
Everybody cheered with fervor, showcasing the popularity of the next competitor.
"Hoh? She's carrying a candelabra as her arts unit? That girl is surely not from Kazimierz. Only casters from Leithanien will be able to do that." Ash observed the woman.
"Ahh, Ioleta's daughter huh? This might be a good sight for sore eyes." Mlynar snorted and thought it would be a good fight at least.
Especially because all the other battles ended with unsatisfactory results.
"She uses light arts just like you big sister Margaret. I wonder how a battle between you two would be?" Maria was excited for the match.
"Hmm, it will be interesting Maria. Though I doubt she would win. Degenbrecher and I have been training a lot." Margaret gave a wry smile.
"Ahh yeah, her arts might be as good as Margaret. But their physiques are radically different." Degenbrecher remembered that their muscles are quite absurd now.
Their bodies were basically supersoldiers now. They were confident that they could take on the silverlance pegasi with their new specs.
"Let's have a good match." Viviana gave a nod to Dikaipolis and he reciprocated.
He respected the woman's altruism. She donates most of her earnings to charity so the rural areas in Kazimierz would be able to build schools. He saw one and she was their sponsor.
They prepared for combat. Dikaipolis took it seriously and his axe started to glow blood red.
Viviana's candelabra got lit and she brandished her longsword.
The match started and Dikaipolis created his sanguine blades.
Viviana raised her arts unit and they exploded into smithereens.
The forte breathed in, knowing that she wasn't there just for show.
So he used his superior physique in attacking her. Viviana covered her blade with her arts and it started glowing.
It wasn't as bright as Margaret's light arts, but it is still as functional.
She used her superior agility and flexibility as a woman, parrying and dodging Dikaipolis' assault.
And while they were clashing, he made more sanguine blades with ease. Red blades looming around for an opportunity to strike.
Viviana created her own though, hers made out of light.
And when they crossed weapons again, Dikaipolis cursed as her blade glowed. With a resounding explosion, Viviana's arts on her blade produced a concussive blast.
Dikaipolis leaped backwards, but his ears were ringing from the blast.
This time, it was Viviana's turn to press the attack. Her candelabra shining as Dikaipolis dodged blasts that were targeted at him.
Spheres of light that carried quite a punch flying towards him as he blocked it with his sanguine blades.
"They're at an impasse, quite surprising considering that guy's your ringer, Ash." Degenbrecher stated her observation.
"Hmm, it's because he has never fought someone at that skill level. Ioleta has trained that girl, of course she won't be useless." Ash shrugged.
"Well, he would tire out at that rate. Viviana seems to have good control and management of her arts." Margaret saw that her spheres and blades of light weren't wasteful.
They continued observing the match and Dikaipolis raised his hand. Red energy converged and it got shot at Viviana.
She was hit by it and got stunned at the surprise attack. Dikaipolis charged, but she gained her wits rapidly.
Her candelabra shone bright and Dikaipolis who was focused on her got blinded. Then multiple spheres of explosives peppered him.
Viviana frowned though, clutching her ribs as she didn't really wear heavy armor.
And that would severely weaken her over time, bruised ribs would sap her strength.
Dikaipolis looked fine outside his armor, but his insides were hurting due to the shockwaves and kinetic energy of the blasts. Receiving quite a lot of internal damage.
"Let's end this shall we." He capitalized on his wounds and made a lot more sanguine blades. His off hand was glowing red and his arts swirled.
The elafian woman nodded and her blade shone brightly. Her candelabra focused arts and they were preparing a big move.
Dikaipolis stomped on the ground and then he charged. Viviana's light arts clashed with his blades and they entered a melee.
Her graceful movements and smooth transitions prevented her from being hit. While Dikaipolis strength would end the fight if she did.
His offhand shooting his blood red arts from time to time. While Viviana's sword elongated with light, giving her some needed reach.
They exchanged blows and Viviana raised her candelabra once again. A flash of light trying to blind him as the blades of light charged at him.
Dikaipolis covered himself with a barrier of his arts and tried to survive the barrage of attacks.
And when things seem to get dire. Viviana suddenly kneeled down as one of his sanguine blades slashed at her from behind.
It came from below the ground and the crowd held their breaths.
"See? Told you he would win." Ash nodded at his tactics. When he stomped the ground earlier, he deposited a blade of blood inside and he slowly guided her there.
And when the time was right, she got hit by it at her Blindspot while focusing on ending the fight.
Dikaipolis pointed his axe at her and she surrendered.
"Magnificent fight sir." Viviana nodded at him and Dikaipolis used his axe to support himself.
"The champion of the 23rd major! Dikaipolis, the Blazingaxe knight!" The announcer hyped him up and he raised his hand.
The crowd cheered and he was interviewed immediately. "Sir, what would you choose as your title as a grand knight?"
Dikaipolis took off his helmet and he was pleased by the results. "I will call myself, the blood knight." He could only pick that and the crowd cheered.
Ash nodded at him and Dikaipolis bowed towards his direction.
He then received a call and it was from wraith. "Your majesty, permission to take care of infiltrators? From Leithanien."
"Goal?" Ash replied. "Sabotage the cores." Wraith explained and he thought about it for a moment.
"Let them be, we'll use this as a spectacle." Ash grinned.
He quickly called Shining and the others to prepare. Travel quickly to the other mobile cities that docked to the capital.
"Margaret, Degenbrecher. We have a situation in our hands. It's time to bring you back to Kazimierz and announce it to the public." Ash stood up.
"Wait, what do you mean?" Mlynar raised a brow.
"Well, there are some Leithanien terrorists that are lingering around. Most likely some offshoots of the witch king. Those bastards don't know when to quit." Ash sighed.
They prepared for the spectacle and all power for cut down, a blackout at the capital. And the city was shrouded in darkness.
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Thank you for reading everyone, ciao.